Want to Build Muscle Faster? Start Using Progressive Overload

Whether you’re new to strength training or hitting a plateau, this simple strategy can unlock serious gains.

We hear a lot of phrases being thrown around the gym, and increasingly, on TikTok fitness videos. But in an age when everyone’s an expert, it can be difficult to cut through the noise and figure out which terms, methodologies, and advice to actually focus on.

That’s why we’ve decided to start a series of articles exploring common—and actionable—fitness terms.

Not only will this help you focus on real, expert-backed advice and disregard the rest, but it should also help you see meaningful improvements in your fitness. Whether you’re looking to build stamina, muscle, or explosive energy, the most effective path to progress is following bona fide expert guidance.

With that in mind, here’s your expert guide to everything you need to know about the concept of progressive overload.

What Is Progressive Overload?

The basic tenet of building muscle is that to see continual improvement and growth, you need to challenge your muscles over time by increasing weight, reps, or intensity in a structured way.

This process of progressively overloading the muscles to stimulate growth, strength, and endurance is muscle-building 101.

"If you continue lifting the same weight for the same reps, your body adapts, and progress stalls," says expert PT and dietitian Adam Enaz. "To force muscle growth and strength development, you must gradually increase the challenge."

Is Progressive Overload the Same as Hypertrophy?

You might be getting ‘progressive overload’ confused with ‘hypertrophy’. 

We enter hypertrophy when we apply tension to our muscles during exercise, and we can achieve this through progressive overload. The former is a process, the latter the result of this process. 

"When we lift weights, our muscles are put under tension," explains Harry Cox, founder of London’s high-end Club Q Health. 

This tension then triggers a whole load of biological signals in the body, resulting in an increase in muscle protein synthesis – "a process during which new proteins are produced and integrated into the muscle fibres, leading to larger and stronger muscles," says Cox.

Progressive overload simply means adding more tension to the muscles, forcing them to continue adapting to new, heavier loads, and becoming stronger as a result.

What Are the Benefits of Progressive Overload?

Lifting heavy might sound exhausting, but this tried and tested approach comes with a lot of benefits.

Bigger muscles not only help you lift more—they also protect your bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and injury as you age. Resistance training may also help slow cognitive ageing, according to a study on the effects of leg workouts on female twins. Plus, lifting weights can help manage body fat levels.

It can also improve endurance. One study found heavier weights may be more beneficial to cardiovascular fitness than lighter ones—great news for your next Park Run PB.

And, a British Journal of Sports Medicine study found that people who do muscle-strengthening workouts are less likely to die prematurely than those who don’t. The same study shows that just 30 to 60 minutes of weight lifting per week gives a 10 to 20 percent lower risk of dying from cancer and heart disease.

How Do You Actually Progressive Overload?

Resistance training—i.e. using weights—is one of the best ways to build muscle. Done right, you can see results from just two to three sessions a week, according to Enaz.

The key is to keep upping the ante.

"Make sure you’re consistently increasing the weight, creating as much resistance, and therefore muscle adaptation, as possible," he says.

You’ll want to go heavier on at least two out of your four sets, per exercise.

Say you’re working on the seated bench press. You might want to do a warm-up set of six to eight reps on a medium weight, just to get the blood flowing and your chest opened up. 

Then, you might do a full set of ten to twelve reps at your maximum weight from last week. After that, do another set at the next weight class. For the last set, keep the weight as it is, or, if you’re feeling really good, go up again. 

Keep doing this and you’ll soon feel and see the gains.

What Else Can I Do? 

This isn’t the only way to utilize progressive overload. Enaz has a few more methods up his gym sleeves:

Increase reps: "Gradually build up within a rep range before increasing weight," he says. In other words, if you’re aiming for ten reps but can only manage eight heavy ones, stick at it until you can do ten heavy ones before moving to the next weight range. This will really ‘lock in’ your strength, and will help to reduce the risk of injury.

Increase sets: Instead of the usual four sets, try adding in a fifth set to really push your muscles and get them used to the increased volume. 

Enhance time under tension: Slowing down the eccentric (lowering) phase of an exercise means your muscles are having to work for longer, and often in uncomfortable positions. Really focusing on the eccentric – say, by counting to three while you do it – is a great way of working all of the smaller, stabilising muscles that help to build strength but often don’t get a proper workout if you’re blasting through reps.

Train to failure: This is exactly what it sounds like: keep going until you can’t perform another rep – or, almost. "Multiple studies suggest that pushing yourself anywhere from 1-3 reps shy of actual failure helps," says Enaz.

Note: A meta analysis of eight studies in the journal European Journal of Sport Science did confirm that heavy reps performed to failure are a solid approach for strength gains, but as mentioned, going all out like this does bring an increased risk of injury.

Do I Need to Eat a Lot to Secure the Gains?

Protein is the building block of muscle, and carbohydrates help restock the fuel cells in our muscles, so any attempt at progressive overload needs to be supported by a diet tweak.

More specifically, you’ll need to be in an ‘anabolic state’ in which you’re taking on more calories than you’re burning off. 

"A protein intake of 1.6-2.2g per kilogram of body weight is ideal for muscle growth," says Enaz. 

E.g. if you weigh 80kg, you should aim for a daily protein intake of 128g-176g.

As for carbs, eat as much as you need to feel full in your workouts. Skimping here can lead to fatigued muscles – the last thing you want when you’re trying to add mass through progressive overload, and a surefire way to injure yourself.

"Healthy fats – from fish, nuts, avocados, etc – are also a good source of energy, and are vital for safeguarding the health of muscle cells," adds Enaz.

How to Implement Progressive Overload in Training

To really help you dial in, Enaz suggests adjusting your standard workout regimen as so:

• Each exercise should be performed for 5-12 reps per set.

• Increase weight when you hit 12 reps in at least one set.

• Expect lower reps (around 5-6) when starting with a heavier weight.

"If you're squatting 100kg for 3 sets of 8, 9, and 12 reps, increase the weight in your next session," suggests Enaz. "When you increase to 102.5kg, you may only manage 5-6 reps initially. That’s fine!"

Continue working within the 5-12 rep range until you reach 12 reps again, then increase weight.

This approach ensures steady, structured progress without sacrificing form or increasing injury risk.

"Don’t forget to take breaks," warns Enaz. "A moderate rest (60-90 seconds between sets) balances muscle growth and fatigue management."

Words by Tom Ward